Thursday, July 26, 2001
Thursday, July 26, 2001
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts
and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Sitting across the aisle from Tony's friend was a very tired man whose neatly wrapped package sat
on the luggage rack over his head. The old man wanted to yield to the sleepiness that was
threatening to overtake him, but he couldn't for fear that while he was asleep, someone might take
his package. As he rode along, the old man would doze off from time to time. Each time that
happened, he would wake with a sense of terror that his package might be stolen. He would
quickly jerk his head sideways so he might check things out and make sure the package was still
there.
That went on for hours. Then as the man snapped out of one of his tense and momentary catnaps,
he looked up to find that his precious package was gone. Momentary panic crossed the old man's
face as he realized he had been robbed. Then he smiled to himself, leaned back in his seat, totally
relaxed, and fell into a prolonged and delicious sleep. Being relieved of the thing that had caused
him constant nervousness, he had enough sense to enjoy being unencumbered. Tony Campolo
adds that not many of us are that smart.
Many of us are under tremendous stress right now because we have one eye fixed continually on
our package, fearful that somehow we will lose what we possess. Surprise! Even if that were to
happen, it may not be as bad as you think.
(Philippians 4:7
NRSV)
Tony Campolo tells a wonderful story about a friend of his who had to take a bus trip across
central India. He was in one of those old-model buses that should have been retired a decade ago;
it was seemingly held together with string and glue. As is often the case with buses in Third World
countries, this bus was packed, not only with people, but with packages, furniture, and just about
every kind of domesticated animal.
Dear God, help me to keep my focus on the peace that you can bring to my life. Amen.
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